When asked what Otakon was, I said "Otakon isn't a business meeting, it's a leisure convention that brings fans of Asian culture together for panels, workshops, meet and greets with guests, stuff like that."

I thought it was rather strange to be asked why people attending Otakon wasn't wearing business clothing since the WEWCC has had Awesome Con for the past couple of years that should've acclimated people and the MPD with leisure conventions that brings in cosplayers.
I was asked those questions, didn't really think to ask if these people were familiar with Awesome Con.

On Otakon Friday, I was walking around downtown D.C. and I got stopped by many business people asking me about what's going on in the convention center and why people aren't dressed up in a suit and tie and when I tried to explain that Otakon isn't a business meeting but a leisure convention focused on Asian culture, they all apparently couldn't understand what a leisure convention is because they asked "So, this Otakon, people who attend it won't be wearing a suit and tie?"
Also on Friday, a MPD officer stopped me and asked "Sir, me and my fellow officers are seeing a lot of these Otakon badges and people going into the convention center not wearing business clothing, what's going on at the convention center?" and I tried explaining what Otakon is to this MPD officer and the officer said "Otakon isn't a business meeting for D.C.? So the people attending Otakon won't be wearing business clothing to this event? What's with seeing people in costumes coming to the convention center?" and I tried explaining that Otakon isn't a business meeting, it's a leisure convention and that people typically wear costumes to this event. The MPD officer asked "Will this Otakon event be returning to D.C. in 2018?" and I replied with "Yes, Otakon will be at the convention center from 2018 until at least 2024." and the MPD officer said "Uhhh ok, thanks. I guess a lot of us won't understand what Otakon is."
Has anyone else got stopped and asked what Otakon is over the weekend?

Over the Otakon weekend, the Washington Business Journal published an article about Otakon where it was reported that Events D.C. estimated that over the weekend, all the attendees of Otakon was expected to spend an estimated total of $30 million, it was also revealed that the Wi-Fi is improved upon in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center annually, article also reported on eSports at Otakon: https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2017/08/11/with-otakon-city-boosters-hope-to-up-d-c-s.html
Washington Business Journal also sent a photographer to Otakon this year, the Washington Business Journal is calling Otakon a "conference" rather than a convention: https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2017/08/11/is-that-pikachu-scenes-from-2017-otakon-at-the.html

No problem, I like to try to be helpful to others. I've been a longtime attendee of Otakon and really love attending Otakon from year to year. It's going to be an interesting experience this year now that Otakon is in D.C.

A primary reason why I created this map is to try to help out this year's attendees of Otakon, also, the map that was given to Otakon is from 2014 ( https://cdn1.otakon.com/media/filer_public/3c/02/3c02b660-6d9d-44f3-ab4c-9a3e64370387/restaurantmap_2014.pdf ), a lot of things can and has changed since 2014.

Funimation could be changing in the near future, Sony Pictures Television just announced on July 31, 2017 that they are acquiring a substantial majority stake in Funimation: http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/press_releases/2017/07_17/073117_funimation.html

There's a WMATA bus that goes between National Harbor, Maryland and the Southern Avenue Metro Station, the NH1, here's the schedule for the NH1 bus: https://www.wmata.com/schedules/timetables/upload/NH1_161218.pdf

I created this map way before the finalized D.C. Metro hours was announced. I added hotels (and food places) that would be farther outside of the downtown D.C. area that would be accessible via Metro and would likely be much cheaper than the hotels found in the downtown D.C. area near the convention center.
The only inconvenience of the D.C. Metro currently is it's operating hours, Friday and Saturday the Metro stops running at 1 AM (before this year Metro operated until 3 AM on Friday and Saturday), Otakon usually runs until 2 AM on Friday and Saturday, I'm hoping WMATA will restore operating hours of Metro to 3 AM on Friday and Saturday.

Well everyone, be prepared that bag checks might be not limited to just this year's Otakon but all Otakons held in D.C.
I've been told by a Baltimore/D.C. area friend of mine that bag checks are required at all events held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, AwesomeCon since it's inception has had a bag check requirement due to the venue itself (the WEWCC) requiring bag checks according to my friend.
This is a new requirement as I've been attending Otakon since 2001 non-stop and while at the Baltimore Convention Center there weren't required bag checks.
This is understandable to me however, it is Washington D.C., they want everyone to be safe and protected as much as possible.

Yes, the SmarTrip card and CharmCard will work on D.C. Circulator buses and there's special fares for using the SmarTrip card or CharmCard to encourage the use of the farecard: http://www.dccirculator.com/bus-basics/fares-payments/